This invention relates to a cutting and grinding tool that is particularly suited for removing grout from between tiles.
Grout is an initially fluid mortar material that is used to fill in the gaps between tiles where it hardens into a durable, protective and decorative layer between the tiles. When repair or replacement of a tiled surfaces is desired, it is generally necessary to remove the grout lines between the tiles. Various tools have been developed to accomplish this task including grout saws, abrading tools and chisels to cut, abrade or chip away the grout lines.
Hand tools have been specifically developed to remove grout which generally work by being moved back and forth along the grout line to abrade away the grout material. A hammer and chisel are also commonly used. These tools tend to require a great deal of manual labour.
Power tools with grout removal attachments are also known. The attachments tend to rely on reciprocating or rotating of a cutting or grinding surface over the grout lines. While power tools with attachments are faster, they are also more expensive and the user must carefully control the attachments to avoid damaging the tiles. In additional, the attachments tend to be prone to breakage and failure.
The present invention provides a cutting and grinding tool particularly suited for removal of grout that is of very simple and reliable construction to minimize breakage problems. The tool is used in conjunction with a conventional drill to provide rotary motion for driving the cutting wheel of the tool. The tool is easy to control and removes grout lines at speeds much faster than is possible with manual equipment.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a cutting and grinding tool comprising:
a rotatable cutting disc formed with a plurality of radially extending teeth about the circumference of the disc;
a drive gear engagable with the teeth to exert a drive force to rotate the cutting disc whereby the disc teeth serve a dual function of performing a cutting and grinding operation and transmitting the drive force of the drive gear to rotate to the disc.